Four Bulldogs head to All-Star game

PERKINSTON – Four Mississippi Gulf Coast players will be participating in the MACJC Men's All-Star Soccer game on Nov. 14.

Sophomores Gio Freitas, Joshua Palm, Jordan Parron and Juan Salazar will be heading to Ridgeland for the game being hosted by Holmes Community College and sponsored by Mississippi Sports Medicine and JUCO Weekly.

The men will play at 2:30 p.m. The event serves as a showcase for coaches from four-year colleges a chance to scout the league's outstanding players.

The Bulldogs advanced to the MACJC semifinals during a season they finished 14-5. They were second in the South Division with an 8-2 mark.

Freitas scored seven goals and assisted on another. Gulf Coast coach Chris Handy said he always knew what he'd get from the defender from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and got extra in the goal-scoring department.

"He started every single game that he's been here," Handy said. "He's versatile, tough, plays good defense, is a hard-tackler. If anything, we had to back him off."

Palm missed last year because of a knee injury. The defender from Jim Hill in Jackson had three goals this year.

"He's the best defender in the league, in my opinion, especially 1v1," Handy said. "He's had a good year coming off that PCL surgery. He's super athletic, gave us some leadership back there and he was our rock."

Parron had seven goals and four assists. The defender from Brandon frequently galloped into attack from the back.

"He's probably the most versatile player on the roster. He could play everywhere from center back to forward," Handy said. "He's always going to play hard and was very passionate."

Salazar exploded offensively down the stretch for the Bulldogs.

"He had two hat tricks in the last six games," Handy said. "He scored 13 goals and tied for the team lead in goals and was tied for second in the league. He did his part to help our team."

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